Improvement in washing-machines



GEORGE L. WITSIL.

Improvement in Washing Machines.

N0,"]25,108, Patented March26,1872.

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE L. WITSIL, OF BEVERLY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, JARED It. COOK, OF WEST MERIDEN, AND HARVEY FORD, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN WASHING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 125,108, dated March 26, 1872.

- riding a simple and easily-manipulated device for washing clothes, cotton, wool, and other fibrous fabrics and substances, composed of a disk of circular or other form, which is made concave upon its under side, and carries centrally a down wardly-projecting hub or boss, of sufficient size to take a firm hold upon the clothes or other substances undergoing treatment in the wash-tub with its lower end, which is dished or hollowed out to act upon the principle of the sucker in bringing it down upon the clothes. This disk has also a number of radial ribs upon its underconcave side, to gently rub the clothes in working it back and forth, as well as a series of short cleats arranged between the radial ribs near the circumference to aid in confining the clothes under the disk; and holes are bored through it near the central suction-hub for the escape of air, to prevent it from interfering with the expansive action of the suds; and from the up per surface of the disk projects a suitable handie for operating it, all as will be more generally set forth in the following description and specifically pointed out in the claim.

Figure 1 shows my improved clothes-washer placed in a wash-tub in the proper position for operating upon soiled clothes or other articles to be cleansed. Fig. 2 shows my improved clothes-washer in perspective, it being inverted so as to exhibit more clearly its construction upon its under side.

The same letters of reference are employed in both figures in the designation of identical parts.

The disk A is preferably made of some kind of non=corrosive sheet metal, which may be stamped or spun up to give to the disk the concavo-convex form shown in the drawing, a bead or seam being formed upon the circumference for the twofold purpose of giving rigidity to the disk and providing a smooth rounded edge to guard against injury being done to the clothes. Attached centrally to the under concave side of the disk A is a boss or hub, B, which terminates with a rounded collar, 13, surrounding aconcavity in its lower end, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. This hub takes a firm hold with its lower dished end upon the clothes or other things in the wash-- through the interstices in the fabrics, so as to separate therefrom the particles of dirt which may adhere thereto.

It will be understood that the disk, being unyieldingly attached to the handle C, will move with greater velocity than the flexible mass of clothes, so that the disk will exert a rubbing action upon such clothes, to make which more effective-I place a number of corrugated ribs, D, radially upon its under side, in the manner shown. Between the ribs, and near the circumference of the disk, cleats E are secured, for the purpose of counteracting to the desired extent the tendency of the clothes to escape from the disk, in obedience to the law of centrifugal force. In order that the air confined under the disk may not interfere with the proper action of the suds, a series of vent-holes, a, are formed in it, near the central hub B, for its escape.

This washer is very effective in doing the Work, requiring but a small amount of personal exertion to operate it, and may be furnished to housekeepers at a very low cost.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- The rubbers D and cleats E,in combination with the disk A C and suction-hub B B attached thereto, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

In testimonywhereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEO. L. WITSIL. FVitnesses:

A. WI'rsIL, E. WIT$IL. 

